Fishing made easy

Original Post:

http://www.blogsmonroe.com/fishing/?p=258

Two companies pretty much have the underwater camera industry sewed up; Aqua Vu and MarCum.  Aqua Vu might have been the first kid on the block, but MarCum has made a dent in their chunk of the market in recent years.  Each company has some unique products available to choose from, and like I mentioned yesterday they are a tool well worth having.

Aqua Vu, as mentioned has been around the longest.  Back in the day this is what their cameras looked like.  Although the unit comes with a 4″ black and white screen, this is still my favorite model for hole hopping and checking out the ice.  I was able to use a strap for a gear bag to hang around my neck and check out the holes as you go.  Another big bonus was the batteries would keep the camera going for up to 8 hours of continuous use.  Although the company has discontinued the ZT, SV and DT models there is good news, they are available on Ebay for hundreds less that original cost brand new, and many of the accessories available are compatible with these older units.

The newer models all look similar to the early version of the Scout camera that was introduced three years ago.  They are housed in a soft case that when opened up also acts as a sun shield.  This particular model is the Quad Cam, that actually shows fishing coming to your bait from four different directions.  You can also switch the mode to full screen in one direction.  The units now are less bulky and a little easier to carry around, but you cannot hook the unit to a strap like in the past, and you do not get the battery life that you used too.  Most folks carry extra batteries out on the ice with them when setting up for an all day trip, or all night excursion.  There are several models available, and very in price ranges to fit the consumer.  One neat thing is the way they have designed the camera themselves, back in the day they were kind of an ugly thing, but in the last four years they have come in a variety of different “fish” skins.  This one is in perch.

Some of the things that set the units apart is the lighting available with each model.  IR lighting refers to infra red.  Although the light is invisible to the naked eye, its there.  This also seems to be the choice to use when the fish are being skittish.  Drawback is that it doesn’t function well during night time conditions.  SR lights mean spectral response lights like those featured in the picture.  They work best at night, in deep water where little light reaches and really cloudy days.

There are two accessories that make the use easier, and the other is just plain fun stuff.  The first is the pod developed to lock the camera into position while viewing your jig and the activity below.  Set this up over a hole 10 feet or so from where you will be fishing.  Locate your jig on the viewer and set up shop.  Run the cord back to your location, and watch the activity below while you fish.  There is a motorized pod available that can be run with a remote.  I like the simple one the best, it might take a little extra time to get setup, but you will never have a durability issue with a non-electric device.

Next up is the DVR recorder.  This attaches to all models, old and new.  Tech stuff really can be too cool when it comes to fishing, specially ice fishing.  This has 1G of space, and will record images for up to 2 hours.  Ok, yes its fun, no argument there.  What better way to record your own fishing video’s, but there is a useful plus side to this.  This is an incredible learning tool.  Consider your time on the ice as a practical classroom,  take the DVR back home and study the images like doing your homework.  How did the fish react to the lure, to the motion, and what could  you have done more effectively to respond to the actions of the fish.  All very useful things to consider for your next trip out.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, February 14th, 2008 at 08:52:22 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.